When did Nikki and Matt break up, how did she and Jack get together and the moment that almost ruined everything for the Silent Witness power couple

Nikki and Jack in Silent Witness are the ultimate investigative power couple but their relationship almost stuttered to a halt before it could develop.

Just as fans were accepting that pathologist Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and forensic scientist Jack Hodgson (David Caves) weren’t ever going to be an item, love blossomed between them. Whilst many will likely miss the likes of Simone and Clarissa in Silent Witness, at this point the BBC drama just wouldn’t be the same without Nikki and Jack in Silent Witness. Their new romance is still going strong in Silent Witness season 26. The experienced pathologist’s last relationship with Matt Garcia (Michael Landes) ended off-screen, perhaps leaving some people a little unsure about when the break-up happened and when exactly she and Jack got together. 

But when did Nikki and Matt break up, when did a relationship form between Nikki and Jack in Silent Witness and why did it almost never happen? 

*Warning: Spoilers ahead!*

When did Nikki and Matt Garcia break up in Silent Witness? 

One brief moment of distraction and even long-time fans might’ve missed the moment it was confirmed that pathologist Nikki Alexander and her US politician boyfriend Matt Garcia were revealed to have broken up. The couple first got together in season 21 and romance blossomed in the face of adversity (he was briefly kidnapped) and Matt even offered to move to London. 

Nikki told him not to sacrifice everything for her, but their relationship continued long-distance and seemed to be going strong. In season 22, To Brighton, To Brighton Nikki had briefly thought she was pregnant with Matt’s child and they discussed the possibility of starting a family.  

Matt’s last on-screen appearance was in season 24 when he retreated into himself after a flight he had been supposed to be on went down. At the end of the episode, he confessed this to Jack at the Lyell and he encouraged him to actually talk to Nikki about it. But in season 24 Nikki told her colleague Simone Tyler that “it can be hard” going long-distance. 

This dropped heavy hints there was trouble in paradise and then in the season 24 finale, Jack was told by one of Nikki’s students, Ollie, that she and Matt had broken up. In terms of time-frame the break-up seems to have happened between the two episodes. 

Why did Nikki and Jack’s relationship almost never happen? 

With Nikki and Matt over many fans were likely left hoping that the close bond of friendship between the pathologist and forensic scientist Jack Hodgson would *finally* become something more. But the very same student who told Jack about the break-up almost scuppered these romantic dreams for good. Ollie had a fling with Nikki after flirting with her all season long and inviting her to a Halloween party.

They went back to his house and were sleeping together at the same time as Jack was helping at an isolated care home where a resident had died mysteriously, flood water cutting them off from help and meaning they had to get to higher ground. It was only in the early hours when Nikki woke up that she realised how bad the rain was and left Jack a heartfelt message asking him to let her know he’s safe.

Only Ollie walked into the room and asked her if she was coming “back to bed” and this got picked up on the end of the voicemail. Jack later listened to the voicemail just after he and Nikki had shared an emotionally-charged kiss. 

Hearing Ollie’s voice hurt Jack and he went on to confront the student at the Lyell telling him not to ruin Nikki’s career. Ollie said he had no intention of doing so, told Jack about her and Matt breaking up and then later attempted to persuade Nikki to give a relationship a go. She turned him down, citing the age difference but also because she very clearly had feelings for Jack. Though Nikki and Jack didn't actually have a chance to discuss the kiss, her breakup with Matt or the voicemail from Ollie that put doubts in Jack's head about her feelings for him properly that season. 

When did Nikki and Jack in Silent Witness get together? 

After season upon season of ‘will-they-won’t-they’ we finally saw romance between Nikki and Jack in Silent Witness in the 25th anniversary season when they walked to a hotel room together as they investigated a case in Liverpool. Pausing outside the door, Jack and Nikki talked about *that* kiss moment after the flood and how timing-wise it hadn’t been great given everything else that had been going on. He told her, “It’s always s*** timing with us”. Not any more though! Following this, they kissed and went into Nikki’s hotel room together. 

Their relationship status wasn’t really confirmed, though their closeness remained and Jack was hurt that she didn’t tell him that Tom Faulkner in Silent Witness was her ex-husband straight away. By the 2023 series of the BBC drama, though, David Caves and Emilia Fox’s characters are very much an item. In the opening episode Jack even invites Nikki to move in with him to avoid the attention and threats of the mafia, though now he’s definitely sharing his house with his niece Cara in Silent Witness. Whether Nikki could permanently move in too remains to be seen. 

Silent Witness season 26 continues on Mondays and Tuesdays at 9pm on BBC One and episodes are released weekly on BBC iPlayer.